Colorado Animal Welfare Conference Session
Humane Workplaces, Humane Leadership and Your Humanity
10:45am –12:15pm • August 26, 2024
Westminster Ballroom IV
Leadership
Self-care and self-advocacy when working in nonprofit sheltering can be challenging. Nonprofit staff are often underpaid and overworked but expected to go above and beyond because of their compassion for animals, as well as their passion for their organization’s mission. Staff may be afraid to speak up for themselves for fear of burning bridges or from feeling insecure or vulnerable. Simultaneously, leadership roles in sheltering have grown in complexity but, in many cases, expectations of leadership remain unclear. In this presentation, we will lean on the teachings of Brené Brown and Simon Sinek to discuss how to focus on what compassionate and daring leadership looks like and we will discuss the role each of us plays in supporting one another in ensuring our workplaces are humane and inclusive. In addition, practical tips will be shared for both nonprofit staff and leadership that can be readily implemented to improve workplace culture and bring out the best in our teams and our missions.
3:30-5pm • August 26, 2024
Westminster Ballroom I and II
Shelter Operations
New ASV Guidelines – What’s New
The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters, originally created in 2010, has been updated to incorporate advances in shelter medicine knowledge. This session will focus on the major updates in the guidelines that are critical to support the positive welfare of animals in shelters, as well as why these strategies are important. Updates discussed will include the framework shift from the “Five Freedoms” to the “Five Domains” of animal welfare; a broader, community-centered perspective to sheltering; advancements in the recommendation for shelter animal behavior assessments; and an emphasis on shelters as healthy and supportive places for animals and people. This session, as the guidelines are, is intended to support all personnel caring for animals in a variety of settings, including foster-based organizations, nonprofit humane societies and SPCAs, municipal animal services facilities, and sanctuaries.
